Accutane Journals: Tonya's Accutane Journal

Her story...

Hi!  I am a 35 year old female who has battled acne since I was about 14.  I have tried all sorts of creams and anti-biotics, with some degree of success, until I stopped them using them.  When I was a teenager, I remember my doctor suggesting Accutane; but at that time it was still fairly new and I was worried
about the side effects at my age and the fact that I wanted children as an adult and didn't know about taking such a "new" drug.  So I just hoped and prayed that I would outgrow it.  That was 21 years ago.  I am finished having children, my husband has had a vasectomy, and I am ready to be done with acne. 
I have been using Proactive for 2 years, but still get breakouts and some cystic acne.  My only other hope was that I had never seen anyone in a nursing home with acne, so maybe eventually...thank goodness my Dermo. was open to letting me try Accutane, even though my complexion is probably in the mild to moderate category. So it is Jan. of 2003 and I have just finished my first week of Accutane (40mg twice a day~does this seem like a lot?  I am 5'5", 115 lbs.).  I have noticed dryness in my eyes and lips, and I am more thirsty than usual. I love water so I am trying to increase my intake.  My face, however, still
requires some loose powder to soak up the oil.  I think it is starting to take on a "blush" color.  I have had a few new breakouts, but I'm not sure if that is the Accutane or the fact that I am not using Proactive now.  Because I researched Accutane so thoroughly, I am acutely aware of the side-effects, so I find myself questioning each headache, each joint soreness, each strand of hair that leaves my head...Is it the Accutane or is it the fact that I am a stay-at-home mother of 2 young children and have a husband who is frequent out-of-town on business! Ha, ha!  So that is about it for my first week.  I really want to
keep up with this journal, since I found so many other journals so helpful.  My goal is to squeeze it in between carpooling, Bible Study, gymnastics, piano lessons, tutoring, cheerleading, basketball, housework, cooking, (must I go on?), so I hope you'll forgive me if I fall a little behind. :)

Weekly Update

Week 2:
This week I notice my face being less oily.  I use face powder in the morning
and don't have to re-apply 4 times during the day like I used to.  My lips are
constantly dry and so far just using Carmex has kept them from getting to the
cracked and bleeding stage I have heard about.  I can skip a day between
shampoos and I have NEVER been able to do that!  My scalp itches, but not to
the point of insanity.  My break-outs have actually subsided for the most
part...I am wondering when those microscopic pores show up that I have heard
about...:)  So far so good...I go to the Dr. for my first test this week, so I
will include those results in next week's entry.

Week 3:
Nothing new to report.  Still drying out.  My lips are the worst.  No cracking
and bleeding, though.  Face is still a little "blushed".  I had my first check
up since starting Accutane yesterday, and will get the results of my blood work
soon.  Everything else checked out good.  My Dr. recommended Accu-soothe for my
lips.  I'm going to call my pharmacist and see if they can order it for me.  My
next check-up is in 4 weeks. 

Week 4:
After having my first labs done, I did not receive a call from the Dr.'s
office, so all must have been fine.  I go back in 4 weeks.  I still have
my "blush", although not bad like the bright red I have heard about.  Make-up
seems to cover it fairly well.  I am very pleased with my complexion.  A few
black heads lingering...but that is about all.  I hope this lasts after I go
off of the Accutane.  I am sooo tired this week; I haven't been sleeping as
well as I normally do; but because of the cold weather, I have had hot
chocolate every afternoon (I don't like coffee) and the caffeine is probably
affecting my sleep.  I am going to stop the hot chocolate for a few days and
see if that is any better. 

Week 5:
I can tell I am getting dryer each week.  My doctor says that by the 6th week I
will get as dry as I am going to get on Accutane.  My nasal passages are very
dry now and I see blood on the tissue if I blow my nose.  I am congested from
the changing weather (either that or I am getting a cold), and it seems to dry
in my nasal passages before it drains, so I am sooo stopped up!  At night,
because I can't breathe through my nose, my mouth gets soooooo dry!  I wake up
several times just to gulp down a glass of water.  I have also noticed that the
top layer of the skin on my face is different...it is very delicate and if I
try to pick at or squeeze an area I actually scrape off a spot on the top layer
of my skin!  And it takes a lot longer to heal than before...  No hair loss. A
little bit of itchy scalp.  My face is fairly clear.  I get very little flaking
and have no trouble wearing make-up.  I am still a little blushed... So far, so
good.  

Week 7 and Week 8:

I had to combine these weeks because I was without power for 8 days due to an ice storm!!!!!  OK, back to the update.  I had my check up recently and talked to the Dr. about a rash on my hands and wrists; he prescribed an ointment with hydrocortisone that has helped.  Another concern was that the dryness was creating a problem "down south" with my bowl movements and I was having some fissures develop ~ very uncomfortable.  He gave me another ointment that hopefully will help, but said to drink lots and lots of water...My eyes are very dry...thankfully I don't wear contacts, but I wake up in the night just to put drops in because they are sooooo dry.  My skin, however, looks great and other than the dryness and my lips I am pleased.  I know the other side effects are short term so I can live with them for now...until next week!
 

Week 10:

I have been soooo good about keeping something on my lips, yet this week the corners of my mouth cracked.  I had been putting something on my lips every half-an-hour!  It is very painful and it seems that it is a difficult area to heal; just as it is healing, you take a bite of something or open your mouth to brush your teeth and it cracks all over again.  I called the nurse at my dermo's office for advice and she told me that Aquaphor is the best thing on the market; I had been using that, plus Carmex in a tube and Vaseline.  So I switched to Aquaphor exclusively.  Hopefully I'll see some results soon!  I am half-way through my treatment and I don't think I can take my lips like this for 10 weeks! 

Week 11:

I thought I would summarize the side-effects and the products I'm using to fight them in this week's update.  So far, so good. 

blush:  still slight on my skin; skin looks waxy

"down south":  Vaseline and drinking lots of water helps; I also drink Citricel to help soften my bowl movements.

rash on my hands: gone; my dr. gave me an ointment with hydrocordizone

lips: I am constantly using Aquaphor; the cracking went away after about 10 days...it was awful!  My lips are a constant reminder of the Accutane I'm taking.  Believe it or not, drinking using a straw seems to help as it keeps the moisture away from the corners of my mouth.

eye dryness: I notice more now than I did the first 5 or 6 weeks.  I use moisturizing drops and "tears"; I also use a moisturizing eye ointment at night that seems to help.

nasal dryness: I am not having as much bloody mucus when I blow my nose as I did the first 5 or 6 weeks.  I use a saline spray everyday and I use a Q-tip to put Vaseline up my nose every night. 

 

Well that is it for now! 

Week 12:

I have had a few dry patches of skin on my chin, but other than that, no change.  I had my dr. do an additional blood test on me at my last visit (just for my peace of mind) and everything was good other than the fact that my cholesterol was 205.  Hopefully adjusting my diet will correct that.

Week 13:

This week I experienced some dry spots on my skin, specially on my arm and leg, and they itch!  I used a hydrocortisone ointment on them that seemed to help.  I thought I'd share some products I've found helpful in my experience with Accutane...

Cetiphil~for dry skin

Vaseline~for the inside of my nose

Saline spray~for the inside of my nose

Aquaphor~for my lips

PM eye ointment~for my eyes

eye drop tears~ for eyes

hydrocortisone ointment~for itchy dry spots

I have always used a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner, so no problems there.  I don't wash my hair everyday, though, like I used to.  I did highlight my hair and had no problems there.  I guess that is all for this week.
 

Week 14-16:

Our internet has been down for 2 weeks, so I am a little behind and had to combine weeks.  Nothing new to report...I am still experiencing all of the symptoms I have currently shared.  I am soooo looking forward to being done.  Only 4 more weeks!  I will be interested to see what my skin is like after I go off of the Accutane.  Will I have less oily skin than before?  Will any of this dryness hang around?  How long does it take for my waxy skin to go away?  Will the Accutane have done what it was supposed to do?  I am thrilled with the current results of my complexion...it's just the rest of my body that has suffered!  That's all for now.